Preliminary Investigation of COVID-19 Impact on Transportation System Delay, Energy Consumption and Emission Levels

A dramatic reduction in traffic demand was observed during the pandemic of COVID-19 producing noticeable reductions in traffic delay, energy consumption, and emissions. This unprecedented event provides us with a perfect chance to investigate how limiting the number of vehicles on the transportation network can contribute to a better environment. This paper quantifies the effects of reduced traffic demand on air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Microscopic simulation is used to model traffic and their associated emissions. Our results show that the decreased traffic demand contributed significantly to decreasing vehicle delays and emissions, especially in congested urban areas.